I’ve been thinking lately about what it was that got me interested in yoga in the first place. I remember the first time I went to a yoga class: I had just started college and was feeling anxious about being away from home, my friends, and all that was familiar. A new friend suggested we go, and I don’t remember much more than the fact that I came out of that class with a bounce in my step. My mood was lifted. The experience was more about mind than body.

Yoga became part of my life, and as I continued to practice, I came to enjoy many other benefits, such as greater physical strength, flexibility, balance, and better sleep. But for me — and maybe for all of us — at this time when political chaos swirls with such force, its effect on my mind is the most important one. No matter my state of mind, when I step onto my mat and practice, I feel better afterward.

The Bird Dog Pose — also known as the balancing table pose (or Dandayamana Bharmanasana) — is a good one for countering chaos because it requires three things simultaneously: strength, focus, and determination. When it comes to strength, it targets the core, back, and glutes. It challenges coordination and balance in a way that keeps it interesting for both beginners and advanced students. And it requires concentration: doing this pose, the mind cannot wander, which surely is part of how it boosts one’s mood.

Put down a yoga mat or a blanket to give you some padding under your knees and wrists. For this pose, you’ll start on all fours, in tabletop position: hands under shoulders, knees under hips.

To warm your body up, do a few rounds of Cat-Cow Pose. Begin by rounding your spine up towards the ceiling; let the back of your neck follow the movement of the spine, letting your head drop forward and directing your gaze back. Then begin to move your spine in the opposite direction, softening your belly toward the floor as you arch your back and lift your head, looking ahead and drawing your shoulder blades gently together and down your back.

Add the breath, inhaling as your back arches and exhaling as it curves up again. Go slowly and with ease through several rounds. See if you can feel it move through you like a wave. Now you are warmed up and ready for Bird Dog Pose.

As you return to the tabletop position, engage your core muscles to help maintain a neutral spine — it’s not arched or flexed — and to stabilize your body. If you aren’t sure what that means, try drawing the muscles just below the belly button in and slightly up, then think about tucking your lower ribs in gently. This should create a sense of engagement in the core muscles.

From this steady position, reach your left leg out behind you, point your foot, and rest the top of your toes on the floor. Engage your glutes (the group of big muscles that make up your buttocks) on the left side and use those muscles to lift your left leg until it is parallel to the floor. Check your position: make sure your hips are squared and parallel to the floor and draw your shoulder blades slightly together and down. Now lift your right arm parallel to the floor, and you are in the pose. But there are several ways to really tune into it.

Breathe and feel long from the tip of your right fingers to the tip of your left toes while maintaining a firm sense of balance. Keeping your core engaged will help with that. It also helps to not overarch your lower back. Lengthen the back of your neck, tuck your chin slightly, and gaze down to maintain a neutral neck position. See if you can feel the energy in your body as you hold the pose.

After you’ve held the pose for several seconds, release your arm and leg and come back into the tabletop position, then try the pose on the other side. You can go back and forth three or four times to help build strength. Move slowly and deliberately, maintaining an even breath.

Remember: if any of these movements or positions cause sharp pain or dizziness, those are signs to back off or not do the pose. Yoga is meant to be challenging but not painful.

To challenge yourself further, after extending the arm and opposite leg you can try moving the knee to the elbow under your body.

There are several ways to ease up on this pose. If you are bothered by wrist pain, come up onto your fist rather than a flat hand, or put more padding under your wrist. If you need more padding under your knees, don’t hesitate to do that. If the pose feels a little too challenging in general, you could start by extending one limb at a time. Doing several repetitions and two or three rounds can help to build strength. You may soon notice why this pose is sometimes used to relieve back pain, as it strengthens the glutes and the muscles around the spine.

As you gain strength by practicing this pose, I hope you can use that to maintain balance and that you will feel your ability to stay focused and defy the chaos.